The Word Carrier (Santee, Nebraska), 1899-01

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The Word Carrier
VOLUME   XXVIII.
HELPING   THE   RIGHT,   EXPOSING   THE   WRONG.
NUMBER I.
SANTEE AGENCY, NEBRASKA.
JANUARY, i8qq.
FIFTY CENTS PER YEAR.
OUK   PLATFORM.
For Indians we want American Education! We want American Homes!
We want American Rights! The result of which is American Citizenship!
And the gospel is the Power of God for
tlieir Salvation!
NATURAL HISTORY EXPERIMENTS
WITH INDIAN PUPII.S.
The so-called "children of nature"
are not interested in "nature study."
Indeed Indian pupils are very much
uninterested iu that study as it is
usually presented. This is partly
due to the teacher's conventionality
and also partly due to the pupils,
dullness of perception and lack of
appreciation of fine distinctions.
That the Indian is an acute observer
is mostly a myth. He has keen perception in limited lines. He can
follow a trail most marvelously.
He has an instinctive genius for
taking care of himself iu a wilderness. But any systematic collection
of data or persistent observation of
facts is beyond him. He is neither
systematic nor persistent in any
way.
Animals that are useful for food
or clothing are distinguished in the
Indian language. Those that have
not been so used are designated
most indiscriminately. In the Titon
Indian language one word is a sufficient name for all the families of
insects, and besides that covers
mollusks and reptiles. For instance,
an old Indian woman screamed
"wabduska!" at me one day and I
could judge only by the surroundings whether she meant flies, clams,
or rattle snakes. This poverty of
language indicates the Indian's
dis-interested-ness in what we call
''nature study."
But "nature study," and every
branch of science, is helpful in awakening the dull senses of the Indian
pupil; and in finally stimulating his
higher mental faculties into activity.
We find that the cultivation of any
sense quickens the other senses also We employ music to cultivate
accuracy of hearing in rythm and
quality of tone. But development
of hearing stimulates the sense of
touch also. At Santee we even cultivate the sense of smell. It is valuable not only in itself but for its
reactive effect on the development
of the other senses. We use a collection of bottles whicli are all the same
shape and size. The sense of smell
is to determine the contents of the
bottles, though in many cases it is
aided by the sense of sight.
Indian pupils have a contempt
for insect life. What sense in paying attention to any animal that can
neither eat you nor you eat it! The
proverb "Go to the ant thou sluggard" has no significance because
the Indians don't know what a sluggard is. The only word by which
lazy can he translated is the word
they use for sick (knzha). Indians
don't known wbat laziness is and
therefore have no word for it. "Go
to the ant thou sick one," is a rather enigmatical proposition. But
to the ingenious teacher the ant is
useful in scripture exposition and
in developing an idea of the contrast between energy and sluggishness. Indeed the study of all forms
of nature: mineral, plant, and animal are exceedingly valuable as eye-
openers into economical, moral, and
ethical relations. Mineralogy,chemistry, physics, astronomv, geology,
geography,and all branches of biology should reveal and teach the
Creator and His purposes for man.
We endeavor to use "nature study"
in that way.
Even as friendship is often established by the persons having been
mutually attractive before introduction, so we succeed best in the
introduction of a study tha.t advances some attractive characteristic.
Physical strength in any form is
attractive to all young people. We
will seize upon this characteristic
for the introduction of an otherwise
uninteresting beetle. I contrived
the simple apparatus, illustrated
herewith, foravery clear ocular demonstration of this power of a very
small unattractive beetle that I picked up. Results were so startling
that the pupils oh led and ah led
with eyes and mouths wide open.
And upon my invitation for the pupils to bring in beetles, every form
of beetle in all the country around
appeared at this next class period.
A firm friendship for beetles had
been immediately established. And
the lessons derived herefrom were
many, both by analogy and inference.
We will give an epitome of the
exneriment.
I the insects are always found many
times superior in strength.
"Result of the Experiment.—-An
enthusiastic respect for the lower
animals, their worthiness of our
attention and study.
"The Pedagogical Psychology.—Pupils between sixteen and twenty
years of age glory in muscle. Respect is considered chiefly due to
those stronger. The beetle distances them many -times over, and
their astonishment is an opening
to the discovery of other interest
ing features of animal life, with
the useful lessons to be deduced
therefrom."
We are indebted for these cuts
to The Work at Home, which paper published the illustrations with
brief description and a very appreciative introduction.
Frederick B. Riggs.
FROM OAHE.
We know not what an hour may
bring forth. On Saturday evening,
November 26, Rev. T. L. Riggs j
reached Remington Station on the
Moreau where he was to spend the
Sabbath. In the home at Oahe,
preparations were being made for
the Sabbath. The younger children
had already had their baths and
were in bed. A noise as of a cat
scratching was heard in the attic.
As it continued the mother went up
ing buildings. A guard kept watch
over the smouldering embers all
night. Mrs. Riggs and the children
took refuge in the school building.
Sunday all went on as usual despite the bitterness of the night's experience. Mrs. Riggs conducted the
services as usual. She had three long
days yet to wait for her husband.
Mr. Riggs returned on Tuesday
evening. The night before, when
half way home, he had learned of
what had happened. The Indians
across the river had seen a great
light. A field glass failed to discover
the mission home and the right
conclusion was drawn. The news
spread over the country as rapidly
as had tbe fire the night before.
Tilings were found to be even
worse than they were thought to be.
Contrary to custom, valuable papers
and a large sum of money in bills
has been left in Mr. Riggs' desk. The
tire came through the ceiling over the
desk before it broke out any where
else in that room, so all was lost.
The piano, books, silver and all
those things made dear by tender
associations—all are ashes.
This mission home belonged to
the American Missionary Association and the money loss is covered
by the insurance. But nothing can
replace the history and associations
that had gathered there in the
eventfull twenty-five years that have
"(1) The beetle pulls the pendulum
overfill the dial hand points to 35°.
(2) Weights are put in the pan to
pull the. dial indicator to 35°. One
hundred and ninety-five centigrams
accomplish this. Therefore the
beetle pulled 195 eg. (3) The beetle's weight is found to be 20 eg.
195 -r 20 = 9.75. Therefore the beetle pulled 9| times his weight.
TRACTION   POWER  OF  INSECTS.
stairs to see what was the matter.
She found a room full of smoke.
No water was at hand in the barrel.
Robert, in slippered feet, ran lothe
barn to call the only man left on the
place and to turn on the water.
Then he ran to ring the chapel bell
and to call those at the school. For
a little while all carried water, but
unavailingly. Soon the few neighbors had gathered, but the rapidity of the fire
made it impossible to save many
things. Miss
Bain was able to
COMPARATIVE   HUMAN POWER
"The pupil who brought the beetle can pull only thirty-three pounds
(what he is able to pull over the
wheel being weighed on the scales
at hand). The said pupil weighs
one hundred pounds. Therefore he
pulls only one-third of his weight.
With the rope about his waist, this
pupil pulled one-half his weight.
But none of the larger and older
pupils in the class were able to pull
one-half their weight. Each pupil
and his insect is tested in turn, and
save some winter clothing—her
room being farthest  from   the
source of the fire.
.  Mr.   Morris,   in
whose   room   it
had started, lost
every thing.
From the lower story rooms, the
post-office    desk,   some   pictures,
clothing,   and   a few  books   were
saved.    Muriel and Lawrence were
carried  out on the  beds in which
they had been placed for the night.
In   an  hour   the   dear old   home
was level with the ground.    They
then drew out the safe, cooled it as
they could with water, and opened
it. Even then the papers w'ere beginning to char. There was fortunately
no wind to drive the fire to adjoin-
passed over it. The personal losses
will be partly made good by the insurance. But the great loss of
things made precious by the life
that has been wrought into them—
that no one can count.
Mrs. Riggs continues her work in
the school. Two days after Mr.
Riggs' return home he started on
another trip to a station where a
church is being built. For the past
six weeks he has averaged two hundred miles a week of wagon traveling
in making the circuit of his field.
There is a very small cottage near
by in which they think they will
soon begin house keeping again in
truly primitive style.
FROM GRAND RIVER.
We had fourteen boys and girls
come into the church at our last
communion who have grown up in
the church. And from now on
most of our increase in numbers
will come to us in that way. I am
sure they will make more intelligent
christians. I feel thankful that I
have  lived  to  see  this.
A claim agent has been here trying to get the Indians to raise money
to pay him for trying to secure pay
for the Black Hills. I am inclined
to think they need to be taught how
to take care of money, and how to
spend it wisely more than they need
more money. Money has not done
the Sisseton Indians any good.
Mary C. Collins.